Bridges to Understanding is a nonprofit organization that engages K-12 students worldwide in direct, interactive learning and storytelling to build cross-cultural understanding. For 3 weeks in April 2008, we're bringing students from South Africa, the Tibetan Children's Village in India, Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala together with Seattle students - read about the exchange in their own words!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

HECTOR PETERSON WELCOME TO SEATTLE

ONE BIG WARM AND LOVING WELCOME FROM THE BRIDGES FAMILY

On the of January 2008 six students were chosen in our school to attend the Seeds of Compassion Conference which will be held in hosted in Seattle which is America under a nonprofit organization that engages K-12 students worldwide in direct, interactive learning and storytelling to build cross-cultural understanding and it is called Bridges to Understanding.

Luckily I was chosen as one of the students that will be going to Seattle for the Seeds of Compassion Conference with the other students at my school namely :

1. Sesethu Goniwe(that is me of course)

2. Zama Vuntu

3. Phuthikhaya Mareseni

4. Caroline Dyantyi

5. Phumza Sdiki

6. Ntombizandile Mthiya

We are all from Hector Peterson FET(further education and training) which is in South Africa in Cape town.

We left South Africa on the 28th of March and on that day we all realised that a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step as it was the first time for all of us to travel with a plane and probably the first time coming to America.

On the 29 of March we landed in SeattleTacomaAirport where we had a warm and loving welcome from the whole bridges family and our family hosts. At that time we were all excited and happy to even get the chance to sit down and get to know each other better but at least we got the chance to enjoy a warm welcome from the bridges family. To tell the Truth I have never seen such loving and kind people like the people that live in Seattle. So for me it was so amazing to see that not only your family and friends can love you but other people as well.

To all the students who were at the airport when we arrived and to all the students that we met and most of all to the families for hosting us in their home I thank you so much. I had a great time at the airport and looking forward to enjoying being in Seattle.